JESUS CURES A POSSESSED PERSON. BLASPHEMY Luke xi. 14-54 1. BLASPHEMIES OF THE JEWS AGAINST CHRIST "AND He was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb. And when He had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke: and the multitudes were in admiration at it. But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. And others, tempting, asked of Him a sign from heaven. But He seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils: doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his court: those things are in peace which he possesseth. But if a stronger than he come upon him and overcome him: he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted and will distribute his spoils. He that is not with Me is against Me: and He that gathereth not with Me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest and not finding, he saith: I will return into my house whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first." The Pharisees here, for the third time, attribute Christ's power to the devil. Jesus refutes their reiterated charge as He had done before, and points to the dreadful condition of the once favored people of Israel, who, from being the chosen among the nations, have, on account of their rejection of the Messias, been given up to the dominion of Satan. 2. "BLESSED IS THE WOMB THAT BORE THEE" "And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd lifting up her voice, said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the paps that gave Thee suck. But He said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it." The voice of a simple and unlettered woman proclaims the praise of God's mother in accents sweet and soft, akin to the angels. The voice of the learned and haughty Pharisee utters blasphemy and execration against God's Son, in the hissing tone of the serpent. How true is the old yet ever new saying: "The poor have the gospel preached to them!" During 1800 years Christendom has re-echoed the greeting of this woman in the gospel, praising and exalting Mary who was deemed worthy to carry the King of heaven and earth near her heart and to suckle Him at her breast. The Church does not neglect the significant reply of our Lord, for she renders to the saints of the heavenly court, who have heard the word of God and kept it with heroic charity, the most loving homage; thus verifying His words, "Blessed are they," etc. 3. THE UNBELIEF OF THE JEWS CONTRASTED WITH THE FAITH OF THE NINIVITES, AND OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. THE SIGN OF JONAS. THE LIGHT OF THE BODY "And the multitudes running together, He began to say: This generation is a wicked generation: it asketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites: so shall the Son of man also be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon: and behold more than Solomon here. The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas, and behold more than Jonas here. No man lighteth a candle and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel: but upon a candlestick, that they that come in may see the light.' The light of wisdom brought from heaven to earth by the true Solomon, Jesus Christ, shines before all men, and he who, with childlike faith, lays himself open to its rays, will enjoy pure and healthy life of soul. But if his eye be dark some, that is, if he do not will to have light, he will remain in dark unhealthiness of heart and soul. "The light of thy body, is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: but if it be evil, thy body also will be darksome. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness, the whole shall be lightsome, and as a bright lamp shall enlighten thee." 4. THE OUTWARD STRICTNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES The greater part of the scribes and Pharisees of that time. failed to enjoy this enlightenment. They were the blind leading the blind. For, in their ambition to become the wise guides in Israel, they attended only to the strict letter of the law and to the outward observance of customs and ceremonies, and thus held the people back from the true, living, spiritual knowledge of God, as preached by the prophets. "And as He was speaking, a certain Pharisee prayed Him that He would dine with him. And He going in sat down to eat. And the Pharisee began to say thinking within himself, why He was not washed before dinner. And the Lord said to him: Now you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter: but your inside is full of rapine and iniquity. Ye fools, did not He that made that which is without, make also that which is within? But yet that which remaineth, give alms: and behold all things are clean unto you. But woe to you Pharisees, because you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over judgment and the charity of God: now these things you ought to have done, and not to leave the other undone." It is false to assert, as some do, that Christ trampled under foot all obedience to human institutions, and required of His followers observance of the divine law only. Of course, the commandments which come immediately and directly from God constitute the first and highest law, from which there can never be exemption. But also the laws framed by the authorities in the Church and State must be obeyed. "These things you ought to have done, and not to leave those undone.” It would certainly be sinful for a man to plead a civil or ecclesiastical law in excuse for violation of God's law. "Wo to you Pharisees, because you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market-place. Wo to you, because you are as sepulchers that appear not, and men that walk over are not aware. And one of the lawyers answering, saith to Him: Master, in saying these things, Thou reproachest us also. But He said: Wo to you lawyers also because you load men with burdens which they can not bear, and you yourselves touch not the packs with one of your fingers. Wo to you who build the monuments of the prophets : and your fathers killed them. Truly you bear witness that you consent to the doings of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchers. For this cause also the wisdom of God said: I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias who was slain between the altar and the temple. Yea, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. Wo to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you yourselves have not entered in, and those that were entering in you have hindered. And as He was saying these things to them, the Pharisees and the lawyers began vehemently to urge Him, and to oppress His mouth about many things. Lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch something from His mouth, that they might accuse Him." CHAPTER XLI SEVERAL RULES OF CONDUCT FOR THE DISCIPLES. Luke xii. 1-59 1. SHUNNING SCANDAL. FORTITUDE IN PERSECUTION "AND when great multitudes stood about Him, so that they trod one upon another, He began to say to His disciples: Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: nor hidden that shall not be known. For whatsoever things you have spoken in darkness, shall be published in the light: and that which you have spoken in the ear in the chambers, shall be preached on the house-tops. And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will shew you whom ye shall fear fear ye Him who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea I say to you, fear Him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Yea, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows. And I say to you: Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: but he that shall deny Me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him: but to him that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they shall bring you into the synagogues, and to magistrates and powers, be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you must say." 2. CONTEMPT FOR WORLDLY GOODS. THE DIVISION OF THE INHERITANCE. THE PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN WHO DIED SUDDENLY. SOLICITUDE ABOUT TEMPORAL WANTS The evangelical courage required by the divine Master in His disciples is a result of evangelical poverty. The true servant of Christ will be able to fight in the cause of truth and justice with unshaken fortitude, only when he shall have detached his heart from the goods of earth, and placed his whole trust for the body's necessities in the hand of God. "And one of the multitude said to Him: Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me. But He said to him: Man, who hath appointed Me judge or divider over you? And He said to them: Take heed and beware of all covetousness: for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of things which he possesseth. And He spoke a similitude to them, saying: The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits: and he thought within himself, saying: What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said: This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and will build greater: and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and my goods, and I will say to my soul: Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thy rest, eat, drink, make good cheer. But |